Loading basket for explosive charges



June 5, 1945. E. F. DARNELL 2,377,763

LOADING BASKET FOR EXPLOSIVE CHARGES Filed Aug. 51, 1942 I fatented June5, 1945 UNITED STATES, PATENT- OFFICE Edward F. Darnell, San Antonio,Tex., assignor to Olive S. Petty, San Antonio, Tex.

- Application August 31, 1942, Serial No. 456,813

9 Claims.

This invention relates to loading means for explosives such as used ingeophysical prospecting although obviously not limited to thisparticular use.

In loading elongated cartridges of explosive in deep vertical boreholes, particularly those in loose or sandy soil, difllculty has beenexperienced both in forcing the charge to the bottom of the hole and inthen retaining it there while the loading implement is withdrawn. It istherefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved form of loading implement for introducing' explosive chargesinto holes in loose or sandy soil.

Charges of the type referred to are universally fired by the use ofelectric detonators or caps and a pair of conductors must extend fromthe surface to the charge at the bottom of the hole. The hole is oftenpartially filled with debris from drilling and is usually wet from theuse of water to clear the drilled material as much as possible duringthe drilling operation. It is oftentimes dififlcult to protect theelectric wires leading to the detonating' cap and to prevent the capfrom being loosened from the charge during the sometimes ratherstrenuous efforts necessitated to force the charge past the debristo,the bottom of the hole. It is therefore a further object of theinvention to provide a loading implement offering maximum protection toboth the charge and the conductors or cap leads.

v The invention is primarily applicable to explosives packaged inwater-tight cans, a plurality of which may be secured together in theform of a long stick, by mating threads at the tops and bot toms of thecans. In connection with such explosives, the detonator or firing cap isprotected by a non-metallic shield to which the lead wires are attached.This shield is threaded into the recess in the topmost can and coversthe detonator housed in a shallow well in the can beneath the shield.Since it is of advantage to be able to rotate the stick oi. explosive inorder to force it down through sand, muck and the like near the bottomof the hole, it is an object of the present invention to provide aloading device having means for cooperating with the aforementionedshield to permit the latter, and hence the charge, to be rotated by theapplication of suitable twisting to the loading device.

A still further object of the invention consists in the provision" of acharge loading device which facilitates the entrance of sand above thecharge during loading to hold the same in position upon withdrawal ofthe loading device and offering and showing the loading implement of thepresent invention in position thereon;

"Figure 2' is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation taken at right angles toFigure 1 and shown partially in section on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the loadin implement or basket.

The holes drilled in the earth for the reception of charges to beexploded for the making of seismic records in geophysical prospectingoften encounter soft, sandy or crumbly soil and although every effort ismade during the drilling to remove the debris, a large quantityoftentimes finds its Way to the bottom of the hole and defies removal.To introduce the relatively large charge of explosive to the bottom ofthe hole through this material and by various obstructions is oftentimesexceedingly difiicult. In the most aggravated situations, casings aresometimes required but these are expensive and time-consuming to insert.Any implement which facilitates the insertion of the charge to itsproper location will eliminate the need for many casings. Many of theseismic parties are making use of a form of explosive which is packed inmetal cans I0 such as shown in Figure 1, having a depression in the top,the walls of which are internally threaded as at H, and also having acorrespondingly threaded projection on the bottom. Any number of canscan'be combined into a long rod or stick by the simple expedient ofscrewing the cans together. The topmost can, which usually contains aspecial priming composition, has an additional depression l3 of lesserdiameter extending from the bottom of the major depression to receivethe electric blasting cap l4. To hold this cap in position, to protectit and to provide anchorage for the electric wires or leads l5therefrom, which are also used openings in the ring segment 32.

to lower the charge into the hole, the protective shield IQ is mountedon top of the can.

This shield is moulded from some suitable intersecting these aperturesand extending down along the sides as at 20.

In making up the shot assembly, the cap with its attached leads ispassed through one of the openings is in such a manner that the capdangles-from beneath the plug end of the shield in a position to bereceived in the recess 13.

' The conductors are then suitably attached to ,re a

movement of'sand, muck, and the likefto' a position above the charge tohold the same in loaded position when the loading pole and its attachedbasket are to be withdrawn. Even in the shield for instance by passingthem together several times through the holes i8 if desired, then downalong the side groove 20, separating them and'taking each a full turnabout the top of the plug. Theyare then brought up again through thesame side groove and are held in position by being clamped between theshield and the can when this assembly is made. The conductors are thusfirmly anchored to the whole charge which can be suspended from them andlowered into the hole. One of the side grooves is left entirely clearfor a purpose to be later described.

In order to permit manipulation of the charge and the forcing of thesame down through muck or sand andby obstructions, a basket-likeimplement is provided, adapted to engage over the topmost can as shown.in Figure 1 and to be attached to a loading rod or pole such as shown at26. The lower end of this pole is threaded as at 21 to be received inthe internally threaded ferrule 28 at the upper end of the backetassembly. This ferrule is attached to a short section of square rod 29which has welded to its lower end four quarter-inch steel rods 30. Theseare splayed apart and passed through arcuate portion of square sectionmetal having a maximum diameter somewhat larger than that of the shieldand a minimum diameter somewhat less than that of the shield whereby itmay rest on the top thereof for forcing the charge down. The dependingportions of the rod 30 only loosely engage the sides of the can sothatthey can be readily withdrawn from the same when the charge is to bereleased at the bottom of the hole. The lower ends of the rods 30 arewelded to a curved bar 34 which holds them in position.

The open side of the basket, defined by the lateral openings in thesegmental elements 32 and 34 and amounting to almost 30% of theperiphery, does not permit removal of the charge laterally while yetpermitting the cap leads to extend directly upwardly from the shieldwithout being threaded through any part thereof. When the basket iswithdrawn, it does not tangle with the leads. To prevent the leads frombecoming twisted about the rod during manipulation and to permitrotation of the cans to better force the charge by obstructions the ring32 is provided with a depending lug 36. This is adapted to engage in aportion of the slot l9 and the upper end of the slot 20 not occupied bythe cap leads to prevent relative rotation of the This is an shield andbasket. Rotation of the loading rodthe presence of water and soft muck,the open basket prevents formation of a vacuum which might tend towithdraw the can withthe basket.

The' threads in the ferrule of the loading basket are the same as thoseused on other implements forming a part of the shooter's equipment, suchas reamers, spears, and the like, used for opening or enlargingholes. Bybeing rigidly attached to the end of the pole and chil -8 8 aconsiderable length of one of the cans, the basket keeps the chargealigned with the axis of the hole so that it does not tend to catch onthe walls thereof. The charge is kept in place within the basket bytension applied to the cap leads in an obvious manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A loading basket for elongated explosive charges equipped at the topwith a cap shield and lead anchor having a slot therein comprising incombination a ferrule for threaded at tachment to a loading rod, splayedrods extending from the ferrule and shaped and spaced to loosely conformto the outside of the upper end of thecharge, segmental rings connectingthe rods together, the upper one being sized to engage the top of saidshield to exert downward pressure thereon, and a lug on said top ring-toengage in said shield slot to prevent relative rotation of the chargeand basket.

2. A leading basket for elongated explosive charges equipped at the topwith a cap shield and lead anchor having a slot therein comprising incombination a ferrule for threaded attachment to a loading rod,'splayedrods extending from the ferrule and shaped and spaced to looselyconformto the outside of the upper end of the charge, upper and lowersegmental rings connecting the rods together, the-lateral openings inthe rings being disposed at the same side 01' the basket, the upper ringbeing sized to engage the top of said shield to exert downward pressurethereon, and a lug on said upper ring to engage in said shield slot toprevent relative rotation of the charge and basket, said lug being andupper portion of the charge, said basket being formed of connected rodsandrings leaving large openings above and around the charge, one side ofthe basket being open for substantially its full length whereby it maybe withdrawn from the charge without engaging the leads, means on saidbasket adapted to engage the top of t shield to press the same downwardand inte engaging means on the shield and basket to pre-' vent relativerotation therebetween.

4. A loading basket for use with an elongated rigidly encased explosivecharge capped with a detonator shield. at least as large in diameter.

as the charge and having cap wires attached thereto, comprising a rigidtubular basket of large mesh providing a loose llt over the shield andupper end of the charge, the top of the basket converging to a. ferruleproviding means for attachment to a loading pole, means forming a partofthe basket and adapted to bear on the upper surface of the shield toexert downward 'circumferentially disposed elements connecting forcethereon, means on the basket to cooperate with the shield to preventrelative rotation therebetween, the basket being entirely open from thebottom to above said force exerting means for a portion of itscircumference.

5. A loading basket for use with an elongated, cylindrical, rigidexplosive charge having detonator cap wires issuing from the topthereof, comprising a rigid, inverted, tubular basket sized for a loosefit over the upper end of the charge, the top of the basket being oflarge mesh and converging to a ferrule providing for attachment to aloading pole, a fixed portion of the basket being arranged to engage thetop of the charge over only a small portion of its area and remote fromthe said wires, the basket being entirely open for its full length for asmall arcuate section of its circumference for passage of said wireswhen engaging or disengaging the basket and charge.

6. A loading basket for use with an elongated, cylindrical, rigidexplosive charge having detonator cap wires issuing from the topthereof, comprising a rigid, inverted, tubular basket sized for a loosefit over the upper end of the charge, the top of the basket being oflarge mesh and converging to a ferrule providing for attachment to aloading pole, a fixed portion of the basket being arranged to engage thetop of the charge over only a small portion of its area and remote fromthe said wires, the basket being entirely open for its full length for asmall arcuate section of its circumference for passage of said wireswhen engaging or disengaging the basket and charge, and means on saidcharge and basket engageable to prevent relative rotation therebetween.v

7. A loading basket for elongated explosive charges equipped at the topwith a cap shield and having detonator cap wires extending therefrom,comprising in combination a plurality of rods converging toward theirupper ends to facilitate connection thereof to a loading rod and shapedand spaced to conform loosely to the outside of the upper end of thecharge, and a plurality of the rods together, said elements including anupper element shaped and dimensioned to engage .the top of said shieldto exert downward pressure thereon, and a lower element shaped anddimensioned to embrace loosely said charge, said elements beingdiscontinuous at one side of said basket to afford an opening forpassage of said wires when engaging or disengaging the basket andcharge.

8. A loading basket for elongated explosive charges equipped at the topwith a cap shield comprising in combination a plurality of rodsconverging at their upper ends and shaped and spaced to loosely conformto the outside of the upper end of the charge, and a plurality ofcircumferentially disposed elements connecting the rods together, saidelements including an upper element shaped and dimensioned to engage thetop of said shield to exert downward pressure thereon and being providedwith means for engagement with said shield to lock the basket and shieldagainst relative rotation about the axis of the charge, and a lowerelement shaped and dimensioned to embrace loosely said charge.

9. A loading basket for elongated explosive charges equipped at the topwith a cap shield, comprising in combination a plurality of rodsextending over a substantia1 portion of their length in such parallelspaced relation as to loosely conform to the outside of the upper end ofthe charge, said rods converging toward their upper ends to facilitateconnection thereof to a loading rod, and a plurality ofcircumferentially disposed elements connecting the rods together, saidelements including an upper element shaped and dimensioned to engage thetop of said shield to exert downward pressure thereon, and a lowerelement shaped and dimensioned to embrace loosely said charge, and meansacting between said basket and said charge to lock the same againstrelative rotation about the longitudinal axis of the charge.

EDWARD F. DARNEIL.

